How do disabled computer scientists publish?

Question

Given that computer scientists publish in conferences, which typically require that presenters be present, how do computer scientists who are disabled, have broken legs due to a car accident, or have any similar travel restrictions, publish?

Answer 1

I'd tackle a tangent issue, but one to which I was a witness personally.

Remember Eyjafjallajökull?

I personally know someone, who was going to present their work at a conference, but could not travel because of air travel shutdown.

They made a video presentation, basically their slides with their conference talk voice-over. It was shown at the event.

I would guess, that other inabilities to visit the conference (that do not result in paper being pulled), such as inability to obtain a visa or disability, would be handled in a similar manner.

Notice that it is typically required that one of the authors presents the paper, so if you have many authors, e.g. your advisor is on the paper and you break a leg, the advisor could present it even without triggering the exception rule.

Of course, if you are a sole author, or the inability to travel applies to all authors, or if you insist to present the paper yourself, but cannot travel, above issues arise.

Answer 2

Equality of access for disabled people is a legal requirement for public services such as transport and buildings in many jurisdictions, particularly in the EU and North America. There are many disabled academics and researchers who teach, research and publish.

One only has to look at examples like the late Stephen Hawking to see how it is possible.

Answer 3

In many cases, maybe all, it should be possible to work with the program committee to find a solution. If they have sufficient prior notice something can usually be worked out. Possibilities include those named in other answers here (video, ...), but also having a third party present the work.

In a last minute situation it may be hard to do anything but have an announcement at the conference that the author(s) couldn't attend because of ... The paper would still be part of the conference proceedings and so is still an official "publication". The only thing not included would be the actual presentation of it.

For those with long standing issues (Hawking) who publish regularly, the committees will know how to make something work.

But, contact the committee in all such cases.

I should note that it isn't the talk at the conference that makes it a publication (invited talks excepted). It is the paper. There are many disabilities that make it impossible to actually give a talk, including the inability to speak at all.

Answer 4

Publishing and attending conferences are related, yet independent things. A conference paper with multiple authors is generally presented by a single person. So even if I was the lead author of a paper, and a co-author of mine held the talk, I can consider the paper being published.

I guess, not presenting your own papers at a conference is nothing unusual. A colleague of mine fell ill during the conference, so our boss had to present her paper, as she wasn't fit to present it herself. On other occasions, only a select few of our group attended a conference and presented the contributions of our group.